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Uncategorized Tuesday, June 12th 2012 at 7:00 pm

Newegg Doesn’t Consider Linux Installation Improper Use, Still Has A Questionable Return Policy

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You’ve maybe heard a story going around that Newegg effectively classifies Linux installation as improper use. A story on The Consumerist details the story of “Norma,” who was shocked when Newegg refused to accept the return of her defective E525 Thinkpad because she’d installed Linux on it. The conclusion that Newegg’s problem with Linux installation isn’t exactly accurate. That said, their return policy is still a little lame. Let’s get to the bottom of this, shall we?

Shortly after getting her new E525 Thinkpad,  Norma decided to throw Mint 13 — a Linux distribution — on it, and everything went fine for a few days. Then, three days in, the notebook started emitting a loud whirring noise, the wireless chipset failed, and the screen started displaying a whole bunch of glitchy lines. Sounds a lot like defective hardware, right? Norma tried a Windows Live USB stick, made sure it was a hardware issue, and sent it back.

She received this in response:

Here’s where the things get interesting. The relevant part of the Return Policy concerns getting a replacement and reads as follows:

The following conditions are not acceptable for return, and will result in the merchandise being returned to you:

  • Any desktop PC, notebook or tablet PC that has been opened
  • Any desktop PC, notebook or tablet PC that is free from defects in materials or workmanship
  • Any desktop PC, notebook or tablet PC that has physical damage due to abuse or improper use
  • Any desktop PC, notebook or tablet PC that is missing any accessories or packaging including, but not limited to, AC adapter, battery, pack, manuals, carrying case (if any)

Following the Consumerist’s logic, the rejection of the RMA must mean that the removal of the operating system must fit into one of the slots above. In their words:

“Wait, so which of those does installing Linux fall under? Improper use, physical damage, or missing accessories?”

“Improper use” is obviously the most fun one. “Missing accessories” seems like it might be a little more on the nose, but still a little nitpicky considering that an operating system isn’t a physical good like the rest of the items listed. There’s one bullet point they missed though, the one about it having been opened, and that bulletpoint is dangerously ambiguous.

Granted, the RMA doesn’t explicitly cite this as the cause, but the modification of the computer’s operating system does necessarily mean the computer was opened — its packaging at least — and does mean that it can be denied an RMA. Besides, while Norma did check to make sure the computer was still borked if booted from a Windows Live USB, she left Mint on the computer when she returned it. You might make the argument that the OS doesn’t constitute an accessory, but you can see why Newegg wouldn’t want to agree to accepting returns of computers with any and all operating systems on them. Norma probably should have restored the orginal OS, out of courtesy or at least an attempt to obscure the fact that she did anything that could have caused the damage.

Let’s step back from all that for a moment, though. The semantic argument of whether or not Linux is to blame is obscuring something else that’s very explictly lame about the Newegg return policy. If you look at their Computer Standard Return Policy (the one linked on the page for an E525 Thinkpad) you’ll note that they don’t offer cash refunds for opened goods, only replacements. But having opened a computer can also get you denied for a replacement. Basically, once you open your computer, Newegg doesn’t owe you anything. There’s some serious ambiguity over whether “open the computer” refers to the case or the packaging  so it’s not the best return policy ever — ambiguity in a return policy rarely works in favor of the customer — but it does say it right there.

In the end, Newegg is not saying that installing Linux is effectively breaking the computer, but they are saying that it is “modifying it,” and regardless of what reason the RMA gives, they explicitly reserve the right to refuse any return of any opened computer. It’s not a very consumer-friendly return policy, but it is right there. You might want to give that some thought the next time you buy a computer from Newegg. Oh and by the way, never try to return hardware if it only has non-standard software installed; that rarely goes over well.

(via Consumerist)

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  • http://www.facebook.com/paul.pardee Paul Pardee

    I think Any desktop PC, notebook or tablet PC that has been opened refers to opening the case of the PC.  If that’s the case, you don’t have to open the case to modify the OS.  

    I would think that newer systems would have safeguards, but in the good old days you could fry hardware by setting it to invalid states by interfacing directly with the hardware (no drivers). This was especially common with video cards and I’ve heard you could do it with monitors as well.  It is theoretically possible to kill the hardware with faulty drivers.

  • Bob

    I bought a dell net book, and a download from their support page killed the system. They replaced it for free. They kept the bad download up for a while after that…

  • http://twitter.com/lnorthrup Laura Northrup

    Yes, that was my understanding of the word “opened” when I wrote the post.  There’s a difference between opening the box and opening the case.

  • Anon

    I’m pretty sure that, regardless of their returns policy, if they have sold you something faulty then you have a right to replacement under law. The old phrase “This does not affect your statutory rights” comes into play.

  • http://twitter.com/thegeekprophet Alex

    I had a similar experience at Best Buy.  I wanted a ultrabook and I asked the salesman what the return policy was, and I think he said 14 days.  He knew I was going to put Linux on it and that if it didnt work properly I’d exchange it.  Salesman said as long as Windows is still on there, you’ll be fine.  So I disabled boot in the BIOS and left Linux on there..didnt like the laptop and yes, still got an exchange.  

  • Anonymous

    If the machine went back to Newegg with Linux installed on it, I suspect she didn’t get an RMA because Newegg techs are very likely set up with Windows.   Being unable to test the machine as it arrived, they took the easy way out.

    My own experience with Newegg has been very different.  They’ve been an easy business to work with.

  • Anonymous

    As soon as you add a user account to your computer to use it normally, you have “altered” the computer!  Does installing software “alter” the computer?

    I could make an argument that turning the computer on in the first place “alters” the computer.

    Computers are made to be malleable to the user by allowing the installation of one’s and zero’s in complex variations to it’s storage and memory to make it behave as the user wishes.  Unless you buy it from NewEgg I guess…  m2c ymmv

  • Danie van der Merwe

    So installing any software besides the raw OS will be modifying it?

  • Chris Kildegaard

    Well yeah…if you can’t return the computer after taking it out of the BOX, the return policy is useless. You don’t know if it’s defective unless you take it out of the box. And as someone else mentioned, the casing does not have to be opened for another OS to be installed.